Review – The Haunting (1999)

If this film is any indication, the traditional haunted house story has abandoned plot and character for the sake of expensive effects. I’m not saying the tons of computer graphics that infest this production aren’t top-drawer; quite the contrary. The trouble here is that its hard for all the cool faces in curtains, moving statuary and other gee-gaws to have much of an impact if the audience just can’t be bothered to care if the characters live or die. The sad part is that this is a remake of a film that was made back when script had to substitute for wow ‘em visuals. The 1963 version packed in a lot more with a lot less to work with. So really all the folks who made this barker had to do was stick with the substance of the first movie and supplement the script with modern cinema tech. Goodness knows they had the cast (including Lily Taylor and Liam Neeson) to pull off a less empty-headed production. As released, however, the picture is good for a few thrills but not much more. See if desperate